Hard Hat Mack (woz-a-day collection)

by: Michael Abbot and Matthew Alexander (Electronic Arts)

Publication date: 2018-07-25

Topics: apple2, wozaday

Item Size: 8.0M

“Hard Hat Mack” is a 1983 action game developed by Michael Abbot and Matthew Alexander and published by Electronic Arts, Inc. Called "EA's First Game" by the founders, this arcade game (showing elements of Donkey Kong and other arcade classics) was a top seller for the company and reigned as an Apple II standard for years.

Click the screenshot to run it in your browser.

Download Hard Hat Mack.zip (contains .woz file)
Download Hard Hat Mack extras.zip (contains .a2r flux file, .png screenshots)

Documentation and Information:

Read crack write-up by qkumba
The Command Card included in the original EA packaging.
Hard Hat Mack on MobyGames
Hard Hat Mack on Wikipedia
Boot Code Tracing Hard Hat Mack from Hardcore Computist Issue #5
An Update on Hard Hat Mack from Computist #38
Making Hard Hat Mack into a Single BRUNable file, Computist #79
Hard Hat Mack among other protection schemes described by qkumba

Historical Documents and Articles:

Interview and Profile of Michael Abbot from K-Power Magazine (July 1984)
Sen. Dan McCorquodale's complaint of OSHA portrayal in Hard Hat Mack (Compuzine v1n3)
Mack Attack! is further information on the OSHA portrayal complaint at the time, from Softline Magazine Issue 3.3
Twin City Atari Interest Group Newsletter (June 1983) mentions Hard Hat Mack's impending appearance at Summer CES
Announcement of Hard Hat Mack available at $35 in Softalk June 1983 Issue
Article on Hard Hat Mack and "New Kid" Electronic Arts in Softalk July 1983 Issue
Arcade Top 10 in Softalk (August 1983) appearance at #5
Top 30 Apple Programs list in Softalk v4n6 (February 1984)
EA Critics Report (A Listing by EA of Raves about EA Products)
Evidence of an Apple IIc version of Hard Hat Mack (July 1984)
Hard Hat Mack available from CVC's Masterline Service (1985)
Early profile of Electronic Arts (Softline, July 1983)

Some alternate versions of the program, bootable at the Internet Archive:

Fastboot Version (Cracked by Mr. Krac-Man, "Hart Hat Mack" typo)
Clean Crack Version (No modifications of credits, just all protection removed)
Nowhere Man Crack (Fastloader version with MANY cracker credits included)
Compatiboot Version (Re-crack, originally cracked by Mr. Krac-Man)

Trivia

An Easter Egg in Hard Hat Mack from Apple Bug
Pressing CTRL ^ or CTRL | give two different greetings from the authors. (Note that the ^ key will be 6 on modern keyboards)

Description, from Mobygames:

Hard Hat Mack is a platform game similar in concept to Donkey Kong. The player controls a worker who must complete specific objectives in a construction site while avoiding enemies and trying not to run out of time. The game has three vertical levels consisting of simple paths, springboards, conveyor belts, and elevators. The goals involve replacing holes in the floor, catching a moving jackhammer to secure plates, collecting lunchboxes, and dropping wares into a processor. The titular hero loses a life when hit by falling bolts or tagged by wandering vandals or OSHA representatives. The game is over after the player character loses three lives. Completing the three unique levels brings the player back to the beginning, with the game cycling through the same levels at a faster speed.